{"id":14832,"date":"2026-10-06T13:21:40","date_gmt":"2026-10-06T05:21:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premierclinic.hk\/?p=14832"},"modified":"2026-10-06T13:22:01","modified_gmt":"2026-10-06T05:22:01","slug":"%e3%80%90pilates%e3%80%91%e7%9c%8b%e4%bc%bc%e6%ba%ab%e5%92%8c%e7%9a%84%e6%99%ae%e6%8b%89%e6%8f%90%e9%81%8b%e5%8b%95%e4%b9%9f%e6%9c%89%e5%8f%97%e5%82%b7%e9%a2%a8%e9%9a%aa%ef%bc%81%e5%b0%8f%e5%bf%83","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premierclinic.hk\/en\/news\/%e3%80%90pilates%e3%80%91%e7%9c%8b%e4%bc%bc%e6%ba%ab%e5%92%8c%e7%9a%84%e6%99%ae%e6%8b%89%e6%8f%90%e9%81%8b%e5%8b%95%e4%b9%9f%e6%9c%89%e5%8f%97%e5%82%b7%e9%a2%a8%e9%9a%aa%ef%bc%81%e5%b0%8f%e5%bf%83\/","title":{"rendered":"Pilates, seemingly a gentle exercise, also carries the risk of injury! Beware of these 4 common sports injuries (healthyD.com)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The fitness craze continues to evolve, from hot yoga years ago to more recent events like Hyrox fitness competitions and pickleball, all of which have gained immense popularity. Reformer Pilates, a popular exercise among women, is also experiencing a global surge in popularity. Rebecca, a fan of K-pop, often sees Korean idols sharing Pilates training videos on social media and has recently started attending Pilates training classes herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

She rarely does stretching exercises, relying solely on Pilates classes once a week. One day, while training on a core mattress, she suddenly experienced severe pain and a pulling sensation in her thigh, requiring immediate medical attention. The doctor diagnosed Rebecca with a hamstring strain, most likely related to insufficient warm-up before exercise, coupled with a sedentary lifestyle at work and a lack of core muscle and lower limb movement. The doctor explained that the excessive stretching of her thigh during training overstretched the tight muscles, causing injury to the hamstring fibers. She was advised to stop exercising and rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pilates is suitable for all age groups<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Numerous sports science studies have indicated that Pilates with equipment can effectively strengthen the core, improve posture, and enhance flexibility, even benefiting the physical fitness of the elderly. A study from California State University involving individuals aged 65 and older found that after 10 weeks of consistent, weekly Pilates with equipment, participants showed significant improvements in all aspects compared to a completely sedentary control group, including static and dynamic balance, walking ability, lower limb joint mobility, and confidence in their balance, thus helping to reduce their risk of falls. Furthermore, the varied and engaging movements of Pilates with equipment are another reason for its popularity across all age groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Four common injuries in Pilates<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

However, why has this relatively safe sport, suitable for all ages, seen a surge in injuries in recent years, frequently resulting in tendon strains, ligament sprains, and other sports injuries? In fact, besides external factors such as inconsistent course quality, Pilates, like other sports, carries inherent injury risks. Especially when participants don't warm up properly, use incorrect postures, or operate the equipment improperly, the following four types of injuries are highly likely to occur:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Muscle strain<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    When using a core bed for leg extension or splitting movements, if the leg strength is insufficient to control the resistance of the core bed springs, the rapid rebound of the bed can cause the muscles to be suddenly stressed while being stretched, which can easily lead to severe strains of the hamstring muscles or the groin area, commonly known as the "big thigh gap".<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    1. Neck and shoulder strain<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Many people unconsciously shrug their shoulders or overuse their neck muscles to compensate when performing upper body resistance exercises or sit-ups. If the posture is incorrect, the shoulder pads of the machine do not properly stabilize the shoulders, or the spring resistance is set too high, it can lead to excessive tension in the trapezius and surrounding neck muscles, resulting in shoulder and neck pain and long-term strain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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      1. Joint sprain<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

        Pilates emphasizes a large range of joint mobility. If there is insufficient muscle strength to support the large stretching movements, it is easy to cause overextension of the elbows, knees or hips. The ligaments cannot withstand the excessive tension, resulting in joint sprains and inflammation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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        1. Lower back pain and spinal compression<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

          Lower back pain is also one of the most common injuries in core bed training because many movements require the lumbar spine to maintain a neutral position, thereby training the stability of the core muscles. If the core muscles are weak, or if the force is applied incorrectly when pushing or pulling the slide, the pressure will be transferred to the lower back and lumbar spine, leading to excessive anterior or posterior tilt of the pelvis, causing lower back muscle strain, or even problems such as intervertebral disc degeneration and herniation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

          Pilates Injury Prevention Tips<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

          Pilates offers benefits such as improving posture, training balance, and increasing muscle strength. By paying attention to the following tips before training, you can effectively reduce the risk of injury:<\/p>\n\n\n\n